Our first trip to Europe!!! One word: AMAZING. This had to be a quick trip of 7 days, but it was perfect even though short; 2 nights/1 full day in Berlin then 4 nights/3 days in Prague. Randy came through as Hero Extraordinaire once again by booking us business class on Mongolian Airlines for the 10-hr trip to Berlin (stopping to refuel in Moscow). It was only a few hundred $ more on this airline and what a blessing. This blog entry just barely covers our stay in Berlin.
Once we landed in Berlin we discovered that we had accidentally booked a hotel by the other airport clear across Berlin. So to avoid an 80-euro taxi ride (yikes!), we jumped on a bus that took us to the main train station that eventually got us to the hotel, thanks to Randy's navigation skills :) Always take the scenic route, eh?
Anyway, I loved Berlin! The trains allowed us a wonderful view/feel of the city: flower boxes everywhere (even in the most humble abodes), maniacally neat & clean, everyone eats outside (!)--and beer! Oh my--beer in vending machines (even in the airports after security!) Respectable grannies imbibe at the bus stop at 3 p.m. Locals drink it with breakfast. We found this in Prague, too. ...and, we did not encounter one drunk (OK, we were in bed reading by 9 p.m. most every night, but still...). Medieval meets modern everywhere you look and it all seems to work well side by side. We visited Museum Island and were only able to hit the Classical Museum--which contained whole sections of temples from Greece, Rome and the middle East. We also hit checkpoint Charlie and the remains of the Berlin Wall, then on to the Brandenburg Gate. After a full day of walking and before heading back to the hotel on the train we had a real German meal of brats, sauerkraut & German potato salad in a small local restaurant, outside of course :)
Once we landed in Berlin we discovered that we had accidentally booked a hotel by the other airport clear across Berlin. So to avoid an 80-euro taxi ride (yikes!), we jumped on a bus that took us to the main train station that eventually got us to the hotel, thanks to Randy's navigation skills :) Always take the scenic route, eh?
Anyway, I loved Berlin! The trains allowed us a wonderful view/feel of the city: flower boxes everywhere (even in the most humble abodes), maniacally neat & clean, everyone eats outside (!)--and beer! Oh my--beer in vending machines (even in the airports after security!) Respectable grannies imbibe at the bus stop at 3 p.m. Locals drink it with breakfast. We found this in Prague, too. ...and, we did not encounter one drunk (OK, we were in bed reading by 9 p.m. most every night, but still...). Medieval meets modern everywhere you look and it all seems to work well side by side. We visited Museum Island and were only able to hit the Classical Museum--which contained whole sections of temples from Greece, Rome and the middle East. We also hit checkpoint Charlie and the remains of the Berlin Wall, then on to the Brandenburg Gate. After a full day of walking and before heading back to the hotel on the train we had a real German meal of brats, sauerkraut & German potato salad in a small local restaurant, outside of course :)
I have embraced my German heritage!!
The next morning we headed to the train station to catch a 4 1/2 hour train ride to Prague.
The footsie pics are of one on 2,500-yr-old marble and then one on the cobblestones of Berlin. :)
Stay tuned for Prague!
Comments
Wow! I can't wait to here about it ALL!!! What a bummer you could ONLY be gone for SEVEN WHOLE DAYS!! I just read about the stone roads in Berlin in one of the kids' library books...and then there they are in your blog with your feet on them! Love you!
Jana